Rapids and the World Cup

(The following was edited on May 26, 2010 to include former Rapids players Herculez Gomez and Marcus Hahnemann who were named to the U.S. National team 23-man roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa).

The 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off in South Africa on June 11, 2010, and for the first time since Major League Soccer began in 1996, no current Colorado Rapids players will be participating in the world’s largest sporting event.

Over the course of the club’s 15 year history, Colorado has had 19 players and two head coaches that either joined the Rapids with World Cup experience, made a World Cup roster during their time with the club, or would go on to make a World Cup squad after their time with the team.

These players and coaches have represented the national teams of the United States, Argentina, Colombia, England, Sweden, Morocco, Jamaica, South Africa and Trinidad and Tobago in at least one of the last six tournaments, dating back to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

In a new RapidsTV video series, current and former Rapids players Steve Trittschuh, Marcelo Balboa, Claudio Lopez, and Pablo Mastroeni share their respective World Cup memories and experiences.

ALL-TIME COLORADO RAPIDS PLAYERS THAT WERE PART OF A WORLD CUP ROSTER:

Name (year with the Rapids): Nationality - World Cup Participated

Khalil Azmi (1996): Morocco - 1994

Marcelo Balboa (1996-2001): USA – 1990, 1994, 1998

Shaun Bartlett (1996-1997): South Africa – 1998

Chris Dawes (2001): Jamaica – 1998

Cornell Glenn (2006): Trinidad and Tobago – 2006

Herculez Gomez (2007-2008): USA - 2010

Marcus Hahnemann (1997-1999): USA – 2006, 2010

Chris Henderson (1996-1998; 2002-2005): USA – 1990

Anders Limpar (1999-2000): Sweden – 1994

Claudio Lopez (2010-current): Argentina – 1998, 2002

Pablo Mastroeni (2002-current): USA – 2002, 2006

Clint Mathis (2006): USA – 2002

Darryl Powell (2003-2004): Jamaica – 1998

Tony Sanneh (2007): USA – 2002

Steve Trittschuh (1996-1998): USA – 1990

Carlos Valderrama (2001-2002): Colombia – 1990, 1994, 1998

Peter Vermes (1997-1999): USA – 1990

Roy Wegerle (1996-97): USA – 1994, 1998

Chris Woods (1996): England – 1986, 1990

In addition, two former coaches also were part of World Cups: Glenn ‘Mooch’ Myernick (1997-2000) was an assistant coach for the U.S. team at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups; and Fernando Clavijo (2005-2008) was a member of the U.S. 1994 World Cup squad.